Single Line Diagrams

tktechie

I use ‘single-line’ diagrams/risers (a.k.a. ‘one-line’ diagrams) to show connections between electronic devices, typically for Audio/Video systems (see image). Currently my office uses AutoCAD to get these done, but I have been trying to find ways to move the process into LayOut. For the last couple of months I’ve tried a couple different ways to make these diagrams in LO only to be disappointed by how long the process takes compared to AutoCAD. For some processes (such as device details), SU and LO have proven to be a great utility. However, the two main hurdles keeping my firm from ‘full implementation’ of the SU Pro suite are creating these ‘single-line’ diagrams and also the lack of ability for importing DWG/DXF into LO for device location symbology. (I suppose a third issue, though not quite as prevalent and much easier to get around is creating schedule tables for our symbol legends.)

I’ve been snooping around these forums looking for solutions by others into the riser problem, but alas have been unable to find anything.

Does anyone have suggestions? It would also be great if someone could point me to existing topics/threads elsewhere with solutions! — Tim K 2

Richard

If the details here are fairly standard items and used commonly I'd just redraw them in LO and save as a scrapbook - everything I'm seeing there is quite easily generated in LO.

Frederik

@richard said:

...I'd just redraw them in LO and save as a scrapbook...

There's a much easier way...
1.) Import such a diagram made in AutoCad to SU...
2.) Select top-view with camera set to parallel and create a scene - save the SU model
3.) Open LO and insert the SU model. Adjust the size to fit the paper you're using.
4.) From the SkethcUp Model panel, click the "Styles" tab and set the "Line Weight" to whatever you prefer.
5.) Set it to render as "Vector"
6.) Right click the "model" and from the sub-menu select "Explode"
7.) Ungroup / Re-group as needed

Now you have everything as vector-based drawings, which you easily can edit and adjust in LO.
You can even - as Richard wrote - save these drawings as scrapbooks, making it really easy to use when creating such diagrams...

I'm using LO on a daily basis for creation of P&ID's (Piping and instrumentation diagram) within the cooling industry...

tktechie

Thanks to you both, Richard and Frederik! I'm currently working on using both your suggestions to build out my Scrapbooks with certain devices. I guess my biggest complaint may not have been clear in the original post, or there at all. (I think I might have done the first time I wrote it, but my browser crashed when I tried to post the first time. I must've left this out when rewriting it!)

My biggest complaint was the lines between the plates and devices, especially the line-breaks/jumps at intersections. I know it can be done using 'Start' and 'End' arrow styles, because I've already made a riser diagram in LayOut, but it is certainly more of a pain than using a custom LSP to cut lines, then another LSP to pull the lines back a short distance. This is really the only bit I wish I could speed up (because after taking the time to eventually create/convert any common devices from CAD, I see the lifework connections as being the biggest time sink in LO).